A Shinobi's Verdict
by Klappy
Summary: [FujiRyo] Seek revenge for those worthy for it. Give worth to those worthy of it. This is a Shinobi's Verdict.
1. A Shinobi's Verdict

**A/N:** It has been quite long since I wrote a multi-chaptered fanfic...and to tell the truth, I am quite uncertain of posting this one for it seems as if I've forgotten how to write one at all. Still...I am writing stories for all of you to read, am I not? The idea makes me personally happy as well. So...as usual...enjoy, _read between the lines_, and please review. Review about anything and on any way...JUST REVIEW.

**Warning(s):** _Shounen-ai_ or boyxboy relationship. Can't tolerate it - don't read. It's that simple. This fiction will be appropriately be rated-T for certain contents on upcoming chapters (e.g. language and plot) and may change with regards to changes in the story line **IF** anyone would be so willing as to _read and review_. Grammar flaws and mispelled words are to be expected as well (they are _very_ inevitable) and before I forget: _OOC_. For Klappy is now a self-proclaimed queen of OOCness. lol

This story also belongs to the AU or Alternate Universe category. Same characters, but an entirely different setting.

**Disclaimer:** _Prince of Tennis _or _Tennis no Oujisama_ and its characters belong to Takeshi Konomi. But this story and its plot are rightfully mine.

* * *

**A SHINOBI'S VERDICT**

_A life for a life...A soul for a soul...Everything has its equal...Everything has its rule..._

_Follow those that are worth following. Value those that are worth of value. Respect those that are worth respect._

_Intimidate those that deserve intimidation. Defeat those that deserve defeat. Seek revenge for those worthy for it._

_Give worth to those worthy of it._

This is a shinobi's verdict.

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Heavy rain poured down from the ashen gray sky. For those that kept track of time, it had probably been six long hours since the downpour began.

The fierce wind that raged through the area forcefully bent the trees to their sides, until they could not endure it anymore and finally be uprooted from the ground. Thunder growled as that of a savage beast across the dark heavens, and lightning constantly streaked through the black clouds, apparently seeming like cracks above. But this dreadful scene outside...was not given of much importance at all.

"Echizen? Are you in there?"

Soft knocks on the wooden door were muffled by the ear-splitting sound of windows simultaneously flapping against the wooden wall, echoing inside a small dark room. The motion of the door opening with a small creak went unnoticed as well.

A silhoutte of a young boy huddled on one corner of the room was then illuminated by the occurence of another flash of lightning, before unforgiving shadows reswallowed said boy's form. Only bright golden eyes remained visible in the absence of light. The exquisite orbs held an expression of one that was deeply immensed in thought, completely oblivious to everything.

Various emotions swam endlessly in those clear pools of gold. He felt bothered, confused, and very annoyed. And he hated it. And then...

Anger and anxiety will slowly creep in. Why? He definitely had no clue. And then here comes the feeling of loneliness. The reason? Still unknown.

"Echizen...? Oi...Echizen."

Questions clouded his mind - questions which answers he continually searched for. He knew that until those answers were found, those emotions would never leave him. And all he could do was to huddle in a corner and hug his knees like a scared little boy, wishing that they all would just go away. It was always like this...

Always like this when the rain falls.

"ECHIZEN!"

The sudden interruption managed to put a stop to Ryoma's seemingly undying train of thoughts and the emotions swimming in his eyes vanished in an instant. Ryoma's troubled features were then replaced by the stoical Echizen's. Apparently, he did not want anyone to perceive what he was thinking just recently. But when he realized who it was that shouted at him, he knew it was already too late. "H-Hai...Momo-senpai?" Ryoma replied, his voice slightly faltering.

"Ah...this is the third time today, Echizen. You can't excuse yourself out of it this time." Momoshiro grinned at him, a triumphant glint flashed across those amethyst orbs. Ryoma just rolled his eyes and replied nonchalantly, "I'm fine."

"Stubborn liar." Momoshiro narrowed his eyes at him. He knew Ryoma more than anyone else; he knew whether the boy was hiding something or not. And this time, he knew the boy was. "You know you can tell me anything, Echizen. C'mon..."

"I'm fine." Ryoma repeated in the same way, much to Momoshiro's annoyance. And before Ryoma knew, Momoshiro already had him in a tight headlock, the older lad ruffling his hair violently. "H-Hey! Senpai!? Cut it off! Let go--!" When Momoshiro did let go of him, he swung his arm to hit his senpai, but the latter just blocked it with his arm. Momoshiro grabbed Ryoma's arm tightly, lifted the boy off of his feet and threw him to the other side of the room. Ryoma was quick though, that instead of hitting the wall, he bounced off of it and landed on the floor without the slightest sound - just like a cat.

Ryoma scowled when Momoshiro gave him his usual lopsided grin. "Tsk...tsk...tsk..." Momoshiro shook his head in disappointment. "See? Something's wrong. You wouldn't usually give me a chance to throw you like that. Or at least let me take a hold of you."

"Che" was the boy's only reply as he got up and fixed his self. He then approached the window and intended to close it. But...

Rain was still pouring outside; he even felt it splatter against his skin when the wind changed its direction. There was already a small stream formed because of the downpour, he noticed, and if it would continue to last for the whole day, they would have more than just a little stream. Unfortunately, the rain did not show any signs of ending; that it would last longer and maybe..._it would never end at all._

"Man...and I was planning to wrestle a bear today or something. Looks like I'd have to reschedule, ne?"

Ryoma blinked. _Baka._ He mentally scolded himself after he realized he was 'spacing out' again. He received the questioning glance the other sent him, but he only gave Momoshiro a simple nod and closed the window, blocking off the rain but not completely.

"Ah...I almost forgot. Buchou wants to see you. He said something about a mission or something." Momoshiro said while waving his hands sluggishly in front of him. "Oi, Echizen. Tell him to let me come with you, all right?" He grinned widely at Ryoma.

"Ok." Ryoma replied plainly and exited the room, leaving Momoshiro alone inside Ryoma's room.

The sound of the rain pounding hard against the roof echoed inside the small room. During normal days, this room would look simple yet very organized: a small futon would be neatly spread out on the floor, a desk stood on a corner with books piled on top of it, and a small drawer that contained Ryoma's clothes was placed beside it. But now...

The room was unsually dark - not the usual darkness because there was no source of light, no. This darkness held unspoken emotions: anxiety, grief, doubt...It was filled with poignancy.

Momoshiro sighed as he reopened the window. It was still raining, of course, and it seemed to be raining harder than it earlier was. He then just sat there and watched. He did not know why but...

Every time it would rain, Ryoma's room would change. And every time it did, Ryoma would too.

_That stupid Echizen. He knows he can't hide anything from me. I'd just have to force it out of him a little more-- Huh?_

Large, bright blue eyes stared at him, not blinking even once. _What the--? _Those eyes seemed familiar but they were not. That was the first time he saw those eyes, and what was surprising was that he saw them in Ryoma's room. He knew he was already alone since Ryoma had left. Or was he?

The large eyes blinked and then...Momoshiro heard a soft _purr_.

"A..._cat_?" Momoshiro blinked; he was still staring intently at those eyes. "...there's a cat in Echizen's room...?"

* * *

**A/N:** It's short, it's short, I know. And yes...this is an AU. And I am sure it is pretty obvious what kind of universe they are in.

Thank you to **ladyraiah** - my bez - for reading this thing first and encouraging me to post it. X3 Meow...

I definitely had a hard time trying to get Momoshiro into character. It's not a walk in the park, I guarantee. Partly, because this is my first attempt to use the other PoT characters (the proof is my other PoT fic with only the Thrill pair included in the scenario). And I am pretty sure it would be the same with the other characters. Sigh...

Still, I admit I had fun writing this. I'm currently trying to improve my writing style...somehow. And yes...I'll be taking it slow. :) I hope you enjoyed reading this; if not - kindly tell me. Because this chapter will serve as a basis whether I would continue to write the rest of the story or not. In other words...

Don't forget to REVIEW. Ja.


	2. Episode 1: Black Rain

_In the black rain, I smile quietly..._

_I'll show you the me that nobody knows yet._

Rain, scientifically speaking, is water falling in drops condensed from moisture in the air. It is formed with regards to the water cycle of evaporation, precipitation, and condensation. On the other hand, _pagans_ believed that the rain was a result of Mother Nature's grief and sadness due to the inhumane treatment humans continually showed her. But to certain people...the rain held a deeper meaning.

Often times, people despised the rain, for personal reasons they kept to themselves. Because for one, the rain was the very picture of sadness itself. A collage of the dark emotions enclosed within one's heart. The portrait of one's darkest and most hidden self. But to others...the rain was the only way they can express themselves.

As they hide behind the darkness of the _black rain_, there they find the chance to show the world who they really are.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

A chandelier that hung on the ceiling served as the primary source of light in a small, yet very organized, room. The sound of the heavy rain pouring outside was muffled by thick velvet curtains, which hid enormous glass windows that lined the room's walls.

The curtain over one window was neatly tied together though, revealing the dreary scene of the storm outside; probably everything was already covered in pitch darkness (despite the fact that it was still supposed to be noon). The scenery was not one to be appreciated at all...

For most people, that is. But not for _him_.

"Ah...good day, Eiji-kun."

"Nya...Yumiko-chan...It isn't a good day at all." Kikumaru whined instead of greeting back Yumiko. He looked out a window from the hallway they were in, a pout visible in his lips.

Yumiko only chuckled, "Syusuke will prove you otherwise."

"I know, I know." The red-head said while sluggishly waving his hands in front of his face. "Ne, ne...Where's Fuji-ko, by the way?"

"The usual."

"The usual? Mou...Fuji-ko is just no fun..." Kikumaru whined for the second time and headed towards the direction of where he thought, or perhaps anticipated, Fuji was. Passing through more hallways, he stopped in front of a slightly opened door, reaching his destination. As he took a small peek at the inside of the room, a simple yet well crafted sculpture that stood at the center greeted his sight.

The particular room held a variety of artworks - from paintings, to sculptures, to hand-crafted urns, and colorful mosaics - which ranged from the simplest, to the most abstract art. Apparently, the room belonged to someone who was most appreciative of fine arts...or perhaps, was an artist himself.

And currently, that someone was painting yet another...painting.

An easel stood in front of the only window left uncovered in the room, a light-haired lad seated in front of it. The paint brush in his hand appeared to be dancing gracefully on the canvas as his long slender fingers guided it.

Kikumaru's dark blue eyes gleamed enthusiastically the moment he saw Fuji, particularly because the latter's back was against him. Slowly, he entered the room, careful of making the slightest sound, and tiptoed towards Fuji. Fuji seemed to be very absorbed in his work that Kikumaru took the chance to hold his breath and...

"Saa...I see you still decided to visit me, Eiji."

...surprise Fuji.

"Mou...why do you always do that, Fuji-ko?" Kikumaru whined after letting out the air he held in his throat. "You're just no fun at all!" He pouted childishly at Fuji, crossing his arms for added effect.

"Now, now. Whatever do you mean by that?" Fuji questioned between strokes of his brush.

"I'm talking about _that_." Pointing his fingers at Fuji's painting, Kikumaru narrowed his eyes. The knowledge of Fuji having a rather obsessive fascination with art could be easily determined; the proof of it would be the very content of the room itself. But he could not understand why, of all the times he could, Fuji would always choose to paint during days that had a bad weather. _Nya...I hate rainy days. People hate rainy days. But Fuji-ko...he 'loves' it. _There have been many instances that he questioned Fuji about the matter, only to receive a smile as a reply. A smile that, Kikumaru knew, held a meaning which Fuji was yet to reveal.

A soft chuckle escaped Fuji's lips as he finally glanced up at Kikumaru. "But I do am having fun, Eiji." His eyes were closed—perpetually closed, that is—and often times, Kikumaru wondered how he was able to see and, more importantly, paint with the absence of his sight...or so, it seems. It was yet another one of the mysteries about Fuji, as he always commented.

"Fun? What's fun with painting!?" Kikumaru blurted out. "And can't you see, Fuji-ko? There's nothing to paint at all! I can barely see anything outside..." He pressed himself against the glass window, strained his eyes, and tried to see through the darkness that covered the surroundings outside. But he only sighed in disappointment as the sound of the roaring thunder reached his ears, along with the hard pounding of the rain that followed. "See?"

Fuji chuckled at him for the second time, "Of course that's not true, Eiji. If it was, I wouldn't be able to finish my work...see?" Kikumaru walked back towards Fuji and glanced at his painting, only to realize that his speculations were, once again, incorrect.

Fuji, surprisingly, was able to paint the very picture of the storm outside, only to turn the dismal scene into an elegant and serene painting.

"Sugoi" was Kikumaru's initial reaction. "How did you do that, Fuji-ko?" He had seen similar paintings, but none was able to impress him for they always appeared to be horrid and scary. Until now, that is. Fuji's work was noticeably different. It was just..."Weird. You can't turn an annoying rainy day into something like this Fuji-ko...!" He mentally slapped himself. This was Fuji Syusuke; calling him 'weird' would be a definite understatement. To describe him or anything related to him as out of the ordinary would only be similar to describing him as normal. "Nya...I give up. I really can't understand you when it comes to these things." Kikumaru grinned and glanced back at the painting. And for some reason, there was something peculiar about it; he just couldn't put his finger in it...

Soft, sudden knocks on the room's door then caught both lads' attentions. A maid entered the room after Fuji gave her permission to, and proceeded to speak in a very polite manner. "Lunch is served, your highness." Her voice held nothing but utmost respect, keeping her head low as she spoke.

"Saa...arigatou." Fuji said as he finally stood up. "Is there anything else?"

"His highness, Yuuta-sama, has already arrived."

It was noticeable enough that Fuji's face beamed at the mention of his younger brother's arrival. "Is that so? Please tell Yuuta I would be with him in a minute." The maid left at his instruction and Fuji turned to Kikumaru. "Why don't you go ahead to the dining room, Eiji? I'd be with you as soon as I meet with Yuuta." Fuji said, excitement resonating from his voice. Then the light-haired lad hurried off to meet with his 'beloved' brother, and left Kikumaru snickering to himself.

_I wonder if Yuuta is as excited to see his brother as Fuji is..._ He couldn't help but laugh at the mental picture of how Yuuta would react, the moment Fuji barges into his room. If there was one thing that Fuji liked more than art, it was Yuuta. Or was there something else? _Now...where was I? Oh yeah!_

"Time to eat, nya!" Cat ears 'popped out' of Kikumaru's head as he—literally—bounced towards the door. But not before he finally found that 'peculiar something' on Fuji's painting:

A silhouette of a little boy was sketched neatly on the painting. A little boy with _golden eyes_.

* * *

Footfalls echoed in the dark corridor, and after a while, the figure of a young boy slowly came to view.

With his arms behind his head, Ryoma walked languidly along the corridor, the wood beneath his feet creaking with every step. He would walk on small puddles, pass under leaking ceilings, and even encounter a gap on the floor once in a while. But he never did have any problem with those, even in the dark. It was a skill, probably; or maybe a gift...he really didn't care.

Exactly five minutes from his room, he finally reached his destination.

"Come in." Tezuka spoke from the other side of the door. _No need for knocks, as usual._ Ryoma thought to himself as he entered the leader's office.

"There have been reports of young girls that have gone missing since last week." The moment he entered the room, Tezuka immediately spoke. A raised brow was Ryoma's initial reaction. "We received this request from an old lady named Ryuzaki. Unfortunately, her granddaughter was one of the victims." Tezuka tossed the letter at him swiftly, which Ryoma easily caught. "Included there are the name and recent whereabouts of the suspect." He said and threw another sheet of paper at Ryoma. "I want you to find and bring the victim, or rather, the victims back to safety."

Ryoma's expressionless gaze never faltered as he read the letter. Still, boredom and disinterest was etched in his features. After all, he had a reputation as 'the renowned Ryoma Echizen' (no, he was not a mere shinobi) to be able to handle higher ranked missions than this one which, if he would describe it, was not exactly 'worthwhile'. "Give me a good reason why I should waste my time in this mission." He stated nonchalantly after reading the letter, obviously uninterested in the matter at hand.

"You will receive 30 silver coins as payment once you complete the mission."

"That's it?" Ryoma's brow arched for the second time. "Don't want to."

"Do it." It was a command, not a request. Mind you—Ryoma Echizen was not one to take orders easily. But there still are exceptions, of course.

A pout was obvious in his face as Ryoma threw the letter back at Tezuka. "Fine." He was wary of the way Tezuka stared at him; the gleam in those almond eyes held an unspoken meaning that, in a way, bothered him greatly. He was used to the stern glances that their stoic captain never failed to 'bestow' on his acquaintances, but during that moment, Ryoma knew it was different. The tone of Tezuka's voice when he spoke was already a proof of it. Perhaps, this mission meant more than what he had insinuated. The only question was: _Why?_

"Throw in some Ponta to my reward too, will you, Buchou?" He said, feeling more wary by each passing second. Besides: whatever the reason was, it was out of his business. _Let's just get this over with..._ He thought and turned to leave. He need not open the door himself, however, as Inui entered the room. "Inui-senpai."

"Ah...Echizen." Inui looked down at the mention of his name, his rectangular eyeglasses flashing mischievously at Ryoma. "I knew I would see you here."

"Actually, I was just leaving." Ryoma said and left, feeling more uncomfortable than before under Inui's stare, his pace quicker than he intended it to be. As a result, he failed to notice it as Inui's stare followed his retreating back, a smirk plastered in his face.

"You did not tell him, didn't you?" There was the sound of a click as Inui closed the door behind him. Tezuka, however, remained silent as he stood up from his desk. "I'll take that as a yes." Fixing his eyeglasses, Inui proceeded towards the file cabinet. "Now I suppose, you don't mind me asking you why?" He knew the tinge of sarcasm in his voice was very obvious for he already knew the answer to his own query; he only wanted to hear it directly from Tezuka.

But silence filled the room. With slight disappointment, Inui busied himself by arranging files in the drawer, not expecting an answer from Tezuka anymore. But, to his surprise, the latter did speak.

"There is no use telling him something that he is about to know."

"And," Inui added. "...you want to know how he is going to react."

Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed simultaneously. One strong gust of wind and rain followed and uprooted yet another tree from the ground. This scene outside was then reflected on Tezuka's eyeglasses, as he unconsciously stared out the window.

Indeed, Inui was right.

* * *

A startled gasp came from Ryoma as a bundle of fur suddenly leapt onto his arms, the moment he opened his room's door. "K-Karupin?!" He blinked at the patched feline who was currently finding a more comfortable position in the cradle of his arms, purring contentedly against his chest.

"Karupin, eh? So that's what you call him, huh, Echizen?" Ryoma sweat dropped when Momoshiro's face appeared out of nowhere, his famous, lopsided, goofy grin already in place. "Eh...as far as I know, you don't get startled that easily, Echizen. Kind of disappointing to find out that a mere cat could, ne?" Momoshiro added teasingly and received a scowl from Ryoma. The boy went inside and sat cross-legged on the futon, his cat—or rather, 'Karupin', still in his arms. "So...where'd you find him?"

"Outside." Ryoma replied plainly as his fingers gently stroked Karupin's soft fur and hugged the cat tenderly, earning himself a satisfied purr. Momoshiro noticed how Ryoma stared at the cat; warmth and peace radiated from the usual, cold and expressionless orbs of gold. And the way he hugged the cat carefully, as if it was a fragile thing made out of glass, was very unusual yet, at the same time, very relaxing. Momoshiro found himself smiling gently at the scene before him. Ryoma appeared like a normal boy of his age, holding his beloved pet, and without a care in the world. Entirely different from the momentarily reticent, stoical boy he knew...

_Momoshiro was on his way to the marketplace to buy himself some tasty reward for having won another match when he caught sight of their leader. "Ah...Buchou!" Tezuka heard him and turned around as he approached. "Aha, Buchou! I've won another match! But that's not surprising because obviously, I am the number one member of the group. That weakling, Bibura, is no match for me!" He bragged boisterously._

_Tezuka nodded at him approvingly, somewhat accustomed already to his occasional attitude._

_"Oi, Buchou, where have you been anyway? Le'me guess...Out on a mission again, huh? How was it? How many butts did you kick this time? Huh, Buchou?" The 13 year-old Momoshiro asked enthusiastically, excitement and curiosity evident in his face. Before he received a reply though, he noticed someone behind Tezuka. "Huh? Who's he?" Large, purple eyes blinked as Momoshiro approached a little boy. "Oi, Buchou, who's this kid?" He asked as he surveyed the boy's tattered appearance:_

_The boy had dark locks that disorderly fell over his face, a pale complexion, and alluring gold eyes. But the moment he stared into those eyes, Momoshiro saw the immense harshness evident in those orbs, now frigid and frightening rather than alluring. He then noticed that the boy had scars and bruises on various parts of his body, including a fresh cut on his cheek._

_Momoshiro gulped. Based on his observations, the boy obviously went through rigorous circumstances; circumstances that drove a young boy like him into an early state of psychological maturity; far beyond how a boy his age should act and think._

_"Echizen."_

_Deeply immersed in his thoughts, Momoshiro almost failed to hear the boy as he spoke. "Echi...zen?" The boy's voice was placid and expressionless, Momoshiro noted._

_"Un." The boy nodded. "Ryoma Echizen. And I'm not a kid anymore."_

_From that time on, Momoshiro had made it his responsibility to look after Ryoma. But it was after three years of 'patiently' socializing with Echizen did he prove that his first suspicions about the boy were correct. He need not question Ryoma, for he knew that it would be meaningless. Besides..._

_Actions speak louder than words._

"Never knew you liked cats." Momoshiro remarked as he dropped down beside Ryoma. The boy answered with a simple 'So?' and continually stroked Karupin's fur, a gentle smile grazing his lips. At that point, Momoshiro congratulated himself for putting up with Echizen all these years and, possibly, for breaking (even just a bit of) the ice that Ryoma kept himself in; if not, he wouldn't be able to see his _friend_ as he was now. He would well consider this as one of those 'once in a lifetime' opportunities.

And for the record, he might as well thank the cat. This whole scene wouldn't be possible if not for him.

He snapped out of his daze when Ryoma suddenly stood from the futon. Karupin had already fallen asleep. The cat was now curled into a patched ball of fur on Ryoma's futon.

"Oi, you going?"

Ryoma didn't look up. He was currently tying a black band around his forehead. Then he fastened a long bundle of cloth on his back, and headed towards the door.

"O-Oi! I told you earlier that I'm going to come with you, didn't I?" Momoshiro almost slipped when he hastily stood up from the futon.

"Iyada." Momoshiro blinked at Ryoma's back. "You told me to tell Buchou to let you come."

"Well...?"

Without glancing over, Ryoma snorted. "I forgot."

Momoshiro fell down anime-style, with a huge comical teardrop floating beside his head. "Ah! With or without permission, I'm coming with you!" He stated enthusiastically, but Ryoma only looked back at him dully.

"You sure?" Ryoma's words came out almost like a yawn. "It's just one of those 'hide and seek' missions. I wouldn't even take it if not for Buchou _persuading_ me to." The earlier conversation with Tezuka then flashed in his mind, recent speculations about the said mission closely followed.

Momoshiro had also tied a black band around his forehead. "Have you forgotten that I'm good at 'hide and seek'? And you know the rules, Echizen." Ryoma watched as Momoshiro covered his hands with black gloves.

In their world, missions are a way of living. Missions range from the simplest, to the most complicated. A shinobi is assigned to an appropriate mission, based on his skills, by the leader. Periodically, the leader would distribute special missions to deserving shinobis, with greater risks and benefits. A mission signifies life and death for a shinobi; it can either be a life's worth of accomplishment or regret. Sometimes, a mission can also cause one's death.

There is one significant rule about missions: To agree to a mission is a choice. But to carry it out is a necessity.

"Besides, I can't let you have all the fun." Stretching his arms, Momoshiro cried excitedly, "Yosh! Time to kick some butt!" Ryoma rolled his eyes before he followed Momoshiro out of the room.

Luminous blue eyes suddenly appeared in the dark as the door closed with the sound of a click.

* * *

The sound of whinnying horses was drowned by the hard pounding of the rain as a carriage sped through the dark forest, withstanding the deluge that raged the area.

Moments later, the noise ceased temporarily.

A terrified scream then resounded in the darkness of the night. _An ear-splitting and horrified cry that begged for life_.

…**To be continued…

* * *

**

**A/N: **Right…at least this chapter is considerably long. And believe me, I am more than relieved to have finished this. It took me a while longer than I anticipated but the result (in my part) was rather satisfying, don't you think? I'm still in the process of building the entire plot and familiarizing myself with this kind of genre so…bear with me until you no more can. And no, it is still not 'a walk in the park'. :)

My heart-felt thanks to you, my dear reader, and all those that have reviewed on the last chapter. You have encouraged me greatly. Still, the anxiety never did wear off so kindly send me your opinions a.s.a.p. A fanfiction would only be complete with reviews. You all know what I am trying to say.

Till next time then. Ja.

_Puzzle…Puzzle…Do you like puzzles? I do. Very much._ :)


	3. Episode 2: Hakugei

**CHAPTER TWO**

A loud cackle resounded from a black carriage what was then followed by the sound of horrified screams. Inside, a corpulent and pompous aristocrat was apparently terrifying a small group of three young girls who were now huddled together on one corner, trembling tremendously.

"HWAHAHAHAHA! Luk at ye, ye imbezils!" He roared harshly at the frightened lasses. "Ye can ol' huddle in zat li'l corner ov yers but when we get to ze werhaws," he licked his lower lip disgustingly, "we'll be startin' our li'l pah-taaay!!!" Another cackle. "I'll rip yer clothez apart with mah own hands 'n zen I'll be feastin' on ye like ye'r supper! Ooooooh…sweet, innocent lassies olweyz taste bet'tah zan zose ol' muney-hungry slutz!" At this, the young girls began to cry hopelessly and to clutch their clothes at the image of their horrible fate in the hands of the malevolent aristocrat.

Outside, two pairs of luminous eyes appeared in the dark, eyeing the carriage as it passed by.

"Found it." Momoshiro's voice was merely a whisper as he signaled at Ryoma from his place atop a branch.

There were the faintest sounds of rustling leaves and splashing puddles as two shadowed figures sped swiftly under the downpour, following said carriage closely.

In a fraction of a second, Ryoma had managed to get on one side of the carriage, his movements as fluid as that of a feline. On the other hand, Momoshiro had gone on further towards the front, with the plan of putting a halt to the carriage.

Taking a peek inside, Ryoma observed the scene of a malicious, over-sized tub of lard scaring a group of helpless young girls. Normally, one who would witness said sight would feel utter revulsion. But Ryoma, being the restrained person that he was, could only flinch and blink at the same time. However, something else caught the attention of the boy:

A necklace with a silver pendant carved into the shape of a pointed cross, with snake-like figures encircling it, was dangling from the aristocrat's neck.

Meanwhile, Momoshiro had already made the coachman unconscious and was now busy thinking of ridiculous ways on how to stop the horses, when shrill screams literally jerked him out of his thoughts. "Darn it!" He cried while pulling on the horses' reigns forcefully. "Echizen! What's going on—!?" A sharp gasp was elicited from Momoshiro as he watched with wide eyes at the dreadful scene that was happening inside. "ECHIZEN!"

Crouched over the aristocrat was Ryoma, and clasped within his left hand was a blood-stained kunai, fresh scarlet liquid dripped from the edge of the blade. His other hand was clasped tightly around the aristocrat's neck, which was now…

"ECHIZEN! STOP IT!"

Horrified neighs were muffled by the deafening crash of thunder that roared over the forest, and sent the horses to a state of panic as a bolt struck down a nearby tree simultaneously.

In a quick motion, Momoshiro had appeared behind Ryoma and had grasped the boy's arms, which temporarily prevented the latter from inflicting more damage. However, belied by his appearance, Ryoma had the strength to disentangle himself from Momoshiro's hold. Having anticipated said motion from the boy, Momoshiro had no choice but to forcefully heave Ryoma out of the carriage. To his surprise, Ryoma had maneuvered his body so that he landed on his feet (as if he had planned such movement from the older lad) and darted back towards Momoshiro, the kunai still clasped within his hand.

Momoshiro could feel cold beads of sweat trickle down the side of his face at this picture of Ryoma: the boy's face was blank but with the exception of his eyes, which were now rid of the usual composure they held, that composure now replaced with what seemed like cold and ruthless anger. A look, in general, that spoke of nothing but _death_. A cold rush came over Momoshiro at this realization. This was the first time he had seen Ryoma look and act as he was now, and whatever the reason was, it had something to do with the massive noble behind him. "Damn it, Echizen!" He knew he had to stop him, so as Ryoma leapt towards the carriage and at him, Momoshiro took the chance to strike him in the gut, heaving him away for the second time, now more forceful and intended than before. The boy was sent crashing towards a tree with his back, the impact hard enough to make him unconscious or if not, in a temporary state of immobility.

Taking a deep breath, Momoshiro steadied himself and mumbled a soft apology, before turning his attention back inside the carriage. But what greeted his sight was more gruesome and terrifying than what he had seen just a couple of seconds earlier:

Propped against a corner of the carriage was the aristocrat—_dead_. A wide, nasty gash ran along his neck from ear to ear, blood oozed out and stained his skin and clothes, and eventually formed a crimson puddle on the floor. His eyes were wide open and bulging, obviously from pure terror—the very emotion that was now eating away on Momoshiro's self-control, as his simple remark of 'Aw, crap' revealed his disbelief. _What's going on? What's wrong…?_

_Echizen!_

* * *

_...stop…_

_Stop it…!_

_You're hurting him...stop hurting him!_

_STOP IT!_

The shrill cry that echoed in his dreams woke him up with a start. Trepidation was clearly evident in his eyes, the blue orbs luminous amongst the darkness of his room. Staring blankly at the ceiling, he tried to calm his self down, slowed the pace of his breathing, and when he finally felt himself at ease, he slowly put an arm over his eyes. Pure darkness…it was as if the darkness that currently enveloped him became impossibly darker.

Then an alarming rush of pain coursed through his backside, eliciting an agonized cry that was muffled when he deliberately bit onto the sheets. Fortunately, the pain subsided but a few seconds later, allowing him to catch his breath before he gently sat up on the massive bed and cradled his head with his hands. He could still feel the faint throbbing in his back, but he knew very well that the pain was not just physical, it was also _personal_. It was one of those situations wherein he remembered that statement from a novel he had read: _It is not only the brain that is capable of storing memories. Other parts of the body (the muscles, for instance) also have their own ways of keeping valuable—even unwanted—memories._

Yes…_unwanted_ memories. But somehow, a part of his self disagreed with that description. He had that feeling of also wanting them—he wanted something he should not be wanting at all. Weird? Definitely. But, well, he was not exactly capable of anything normal for that matter, anyway. His peculiar way of doing things did earn him the reputation of being called as is: e_xtraordinary._

A heavy sigh escaped from his lips as he stood up from his bed and made his way towards a window. Pulling aside the massive curtain that hung over it, light finally entered his gloomy room, which scattered luminosity to every corner of it and forced the gloominess away. Superficially, that is.

The reflection on the glass was an evidence of the dread that Fuji Syusuke currently felt.

There were unmistakable bags beneath his eyes—probably from the insomnia that he had been experiencing for days now, along with that distressing nightmare…

"Saa," A small grin appeared on Fuji's lips. "…here we go _again_."

_Eight in the morning… _He noted after a quick glance at the grandfather clock that stood against the adjacent wall. The majority of the people awake at that time inside the castle premises would only be the servants and the knights. But knowing that it would already be impossible to return to his sleep, he just decided on leaving his room, mostly to find something that would distract him from his gloomy thoughts.

Clad in a white button up shirt and trousers, Fuji strolled along the wide hallways, and nodded at the servants that he simultaneously passed by. Cleaning was in current progress around him—it was the residence of the royal family after all, the more imperative for it to be sanitary most of the time.

He was just passing by one of the balconies when a young maid approached him. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Syusuke-sama. Is there anything that I could do for his highness?"

Fuji smiled at her with his eyes closed and slowly shook his head. "No, no. Thank you, but there's really nothing—" He stopped when he caught sight of the small iron coffee table, with a vase of freshly picked flowers on top of it. "On second thought, a cup of tea would be really nice, thank you." The young maid went on her way to get his tea while he stepped out into the balcony.

The fresh morning breeze immediately flooded his senses as the morning sunrays provided comforting warmth for his body. Leaning on the balustrade, his eyes glimmered as he gazed at the scenery before him:

The castle was perched on an appropriate height, thus giving the onlooker a holistic view of the isle of _Hakugei_. Aptly named for its geographical figure (i.e. an unmistakable form of a _whale_), the small island of Hakugei was situated by the southeastern coast of the massive land mass occupied by the forests, giving it the usual impression of being a peninsula rather than an isolated and independent land.

A small town served as the "heart" of Hakugei, sited at the center of the isle and surrounded by its very own mass of trees. Every matter of significance and insignificance occurred at the town: besides the establishments of trade and leisure, it was also the place where most of the land's inhabitants resided.

During this time of the day, the town would probably be crowded with people opening shops, setting up stalls, and those that are on their usual market errands. And, inane and ridiculous as it may seem, Fuji somehow found it interesting and entertaining to witness said people hustle with each other at the market place and eventually end up in verbal—often times, physical—assaults against each other. Looking back at it now, such amusement might just be the distraction he was looking for…

"Here is your tea—your highness…?" The young maid earlier then furrowed her brows at the sight of the empty balcony, the tea Fuji asked for earlier placed on a tray she currently held. "Syusuke-sama? Syusuke-sama?" After glancing further around the balcony, the young maid shrugged in disappointment when she could not find anything. As she turned to leave, a slim figure appeared from behind one of the trees that stood near the balcony.

"Saa…ikuyou." A mischievous smile played on Fuji's lips as he walked away from his hiding place and walked leisurely towards the rose gardens that lined one of the walls surrounding the castle. When the gardeners who were currently tending the garden were again focused on their work after his appearance, he stealthily climbed a nearby tree and easily leapt to the other side of the wall—without the slightest pain in his lower limbs.

That course of action was not really necessary for him, given the fact that he was a legitimate member of the royal family. Still, as mentioned earlier, Fuji Syusuke had his _own_ way of doing things, this including the fact that he found ordinary things very much dull and…well…ordinary.

Besides, the frustrated expression of the young maid earlier was already a bit amusing on his part…

It was approximately an hour and a half walk from the castle down to the small town, but it did not bother Fuji at the least. He did know how to walk, did he not? Besides, the length of time that it took to reach his destination was more than enough for him to organize his thoughts.

Upon reaching the town though, a dispute had already taken place just as Fuji had predicted, this time between a pair of butchers. It seemed that the reason (a very shallow one, for this matter) of said argument was a mere pound of beef owned by one butcher, which got mixed up with the other butcher's. A very petty quarrel, indeed, but the looks of frustration and anger on the butchers' faces along with the curious and irritated glances from the by-passers were enough to plant a very devious smirk on Fuji's lips.

He watched the dispute for a few more seconds, but soon decided to leave when people around had started to recognize him already. As a member of the royal family and, in additional, the eldest son of the royal couple, Fuji knew it was rather unusual to just be seen around the town, dressed only in a simple apparel, and without any formal security at all. However, the people of Hakugei already knew well enough how unusually their "prince" acted, and it was already not a surprise for them to see him freely "loitering" around the island every once in a while. Before he completely went away though, he added a little more spice to the current dispute (Fuji did love spices): with a very slick motion, he loosened one of the knots of the crate that held the meat supply of one of the butchers. As a result, the whole pile of meat atop it immediately fell to the dirt when the other butcher leaned against it, immediately making him the number one suspect.

The cursing from both sides soon turned—literally—to punches and kicks; the petty quarrel earlier now a more senseless rumble. Amidst all this commotion, however, Fuji gracefully slipped away from the crowd with that devious smirk still in place. His exit as unnoticed as his entrance earlier was.

He wandered away from the growing commotion towards a corner of the town, and stopped just a few feet away from the small forest that surrounded it. Fuji allowed himself a chuckle at the yells of rage that echoed still from the marketplace before he disappeared into the terrestrial premises.

It was most probably noon already, Fuji mused, as his feet carried him further into the forest. He looked up and found the sun exactly as he expected it to be: his bright sapphire eyes glimmered under the sunlight that pierced through the leaves that hovered above him, the blazing sun positioned high at the center of the sky.

It was then that he heard the faint sound of people talking or more specifically, a person shouting at another person, and the simultaneous pounding of metal against metal, then of metal against wood.

"Chigao no, Oji! You can't do it like that…"

A smile crept on Fuji's features as he recognized said voice. There was a definite reason (besides that of personal entertainment) why he went down to the town, of course. Fuji had a friend—one who was "brave" enough to be able to withstand Fuji's sadistic tendencies. That is, being his "toy" instead of a supposed playmate.

A loud crashing sound then managed to surprise Fuji's calm. The shouts earlier already turned to comical whines as he finally reached his destination.

A cabin stood at the center of a small clearing in the forest. There was a well that stood adjacent to the small house and, peculiarly and noticeable enough, there were these chunks of wood "flying" into view from the back of the house.

"Oji, you're wasting the wood! I really can't let you do this part of the work anymore…" The picture of a young lad scolding a rather skinny-looking old man then came to Fuji's view. He watched the scene for a few more seconds and with a soft laugh interrupted the long sermon.

"Ohayou, Saeki."

"…and—eh?" Saeki blinked, looking over his shoulder, at the ever-smiling face of Fuji. "Fuji? What are you doing here?"

Fuji approached them slowly, picking up the pieces of wood that littered his path. "Eh…is that how you greet me now, Saeki? Then it's really disappointing." Despite his words, however, the smile on Fuji's face did not even falter at the least.

Saeki smiled back at him. "But of course, your highness. I apologize for my impoliteness and if I still may, good morning to you, too." The white-haired lad stated sarcastically and received a laugh as a reply. Fuji also greeted the old man after giving his gathered pieces of wood to Saeki. Oji only grinned and touched his long white beard.

Moments later, a steady trail of smoke could be seen coming out of the cabin's narrow chimney from where Fuji was standing.

"Here." Saeki said, tossing an apple at Fuji. Fuji uttered a brief 'thanks' as he caught the fruit. "Pretty fascinating, isn't it?" Saeki started. "Oji built that cabin all by himself. Since then he was also the one that maintained it, even long after I came here. One would usually think that the old man would continue on the same pace for more years to come. But I guess no one can truly escape the fact that we're not getting younger each year; what happens in reality is quite the opposite. I'm right, am I not?" He turned his glance from the cabin towards Fuji. "There is _no such thing as 'permanent' _in this world, I guess. And if I am to be asked, that fact is rather disappointing." He then sat down cross-legged on the grass before he took a bite from his apple.

"Nothing permanent…huh?" Fuji let his mind wander on that statement for a moment. Odd, there seemed to be a hidden significance behind that statement, only that he could not determine what it was.

A short while passed with only the sound of the rustling leaves accompanied with the crunching noise Saeki unconsciously made as he bit on his apple. Then Saeki spoke again. "So…_why_ are you here?"

Fuji let out another chuckle. "I am really beginning to think that you don't appreciate my company anymore, Saeki."

"Don't give me that, Fuji. You know what I mean."

"But of course." His eyes opened to reveal those mysterious marine orbs. Despite his enigmatic nature, Saeki still managed to see through his mask even if it was, figuratively-speaking, just a small peek. He then sat down gently beside Saeki, careful as to keep the pain on his back at a minimum. Truth was, the pain he felt earlier did not wane at all, and he was already very exhausted at that moment for enduring it since this morning. Saeki was quick to notice this, of course. "There was this argument between a pair of butchers in town earlier. It was quite entertaining, if I may say so myself. They had quite a riot back there before I left."

"And, I don't suppose you had anything to do with that riot, eh?"

"Quite the contrary." A chuckle escaped Fuji's lips as he settled into a more comfortable position.

"Right…and you still haven't answered my question yet."

Fuji chuckled at Saeki's seriousness. "Hai, hai…although, you do remember that I'm very amused with those incidents, don't you? Well, I needed to be entertained, that's all—distracted, even." Exhaustion was clearly evident on his exposed eyes by now, the unease he felt at the start of the day loomed over him once again. The self-possession he had earlier was now being drained little by little. It was very atypical of Fuji to display weakness. Nevertheless, it was in this certain kind of situation that Saeki knew his role. And he also knew the reason why Fuji felt the way he did.

In fact, he knew it very well for this was not the first time for it to happen.

"I'll go get some herbs." He was about to leave when Fuji grabbed his arm and prevented him from doing so. The latter shook his head slowly, which indicated his disapproval, and that was enough for Saeki to return to his seat. Silence occupied the next few moments as Saeki let his friend rest, before he spoke again. "You know, I have known you for the entire half of my life already and still, I cannot figure out how that nightmare always had this grave effect on you."

True, Kojirou Saeki had been friends with Fuji for a very long time now. They were childhood friends, in other words. He had just been taken in by Oji, who had a very fine carpentry business back then, when he first met Fuji. Of course, his initial impression was that Fuji, as a member of the royal family, would not even dare befriend a commoner such as himself. The same Fuji proved him wrong though. Fuji Syusuke was, as already mentioned, extraordinary. And he still was. It was not only because of petty reasons such as friendliness and unbiased ideals; there were entirely complex reasons as to why Fuji was who he was. It even took Saeki a very long time to figure out only one of those reasons.

That one reason he discovered, though, was the reason why Fuji appeared awfully frail at the time being.

"Sorry, Saeki." Fuji looked at him with that placid smile back on his face. The tiredness he felt was still evident on his face, but he was already very accustomed to such circumstances that he was able to regain his poise immediately as if nothing had happened to him. "You are always the one to carry this burden with me." He would not tell Yumiko, he would not tell Yuuta, he would not tell his parents, and he could not possibly tell Kikumaru as well (due to the lad's 'worrying' tendencies).

"I guess that's my misfortune." Saeki remarked untruthfully. "As I always say, Fuji, you know you can get rid of that nightmare if you'd only want to. It's that simple." Fuji gave a brief nod but Saeki knew that it was only an indication that he was listening. Fuji would not agree with that idea of his.

"It is very simple, yes. But you know very well that I would not agree with it." He never would.

"And that is because?"

Various shadows danced on the fruit's surface as Fuji twirled the apple with his hands. The smoke from the chimney was gone by now: Oji had probably finished cooking their supposed lunch. Even with the excruciating heat that emanated from the sun during noon, a breeze still filled the area, which was enough to cool down the hot atmosphere. Fuji let the gentle wind fill his senses for a while, before he answered Saeki's query:

"It's the only nightmare I have." It was the truth, the scathingly undeniable truth.

* * *

The rainstorm had ended the moment the sun crept up from behind the mountains. Since then, the hidden village of _Seishun Gakuen_ had been littered with shinobis occupied with cleaning the mud-covered streets or if not, gathering and fixing peeled off roofs. 

Despite the tedious yet agreeable work outside though, a rather uncomfortable discussion currently took place inside the leader's office.

"…the other girls have been escorted home by the _kohai_s we sent for. And…" Momoshiro was apparently trying his best to report about their recent mission.

After the "incident" which concerned Ryoma, Momoshiro had conjured a signal for reinforcement. Soon enough, a squad of _kohai_s, or rookies, came along with Syuichiro Oishi, their vice captain. And as Momoshiro predicted, Oishi was immediately nauseated by the horrible scene he found when he arrived. They then sent the three young ladies (still terrified and trembling tremendously) back to their families with a pair of kohais, but not before one of them deliberately (and thankfully) informed them of the whereabouts of the other young ladies.

They found them in an old abandoned warehouse just a couple of miles from where they found the carriage. It was a rather easy task making the guards and some other men unconscious, but convincing the girls that they meant no harm was…well…it took them quite a long time. It would be safe, of course, to assure that they were alive, but it would not be so proper to say that they were not "harmed"—at least not all of them. They were still fortunate to find Ryuzaki's granddaughter unharmed, though.

The mission was then accomplished the moment they brought the young Ryuzaki back to her home and had received the reward. But Momoshiro's report was not to end there. He still had not mentioned the incident with Ryoma, although he had the peculiar feeling that Tezuka already knew.

"Is that all?" Tezuka's deep voice brought Momoshiro's pondering to a halt. He was still debating whether he should tell their leader or not about Ryoma's condition.

Taking a quick glance over his shoulder, he found the boy leaning against the wall, hands behind his head and eyes hidden behind the shadow of his bangs. The room was sufficiently lit, hence, it was impossible for Ryoma to conceal his battered appearance. Also, the smell of blood was clearly evident in the air…

Tezuka, of course, was entirely aware of this. "If that is all, then you are dismissed."

Momoshiro swallowed back the urge to tell Tezuka; he already knew that the latter was now aware of the situation. There was probably no need to inform him.

"Ah…and Momoshiro," Tezuka's very placid mention of his name suddenly made Momoshiro nervous. "If I remember correctly, I had assigned this mission only to Echizen." The cold stare that the leader gave him literally sent a chill down his spine. _Oh man…not this! Anything but this!_

"S-sure, B-Buchou…but you see I figured that Echizen would want someone to accompany him, so…" Momoshiro stuttered.

"I did not give you the permission, Momoshiro. This is the third time this has happened."

"B-but Buchou—"

"A hundred laps around the village, NOW!" Tezuka bellowed and Momoshiro felt like the floor he was standing on suddenly gave way and let him fall down into a bottomless abyss.

"A hundred…laps…so…many…" Momoshiro murmured to himself as he headed towards the door, a couple of flame-like figures floating above his head. When he opened the door, Ryoma also motioned to leave, but Tezuka ordered him to stay. This caused Momoshiro to stop as well, glancing at Ryoma with utmost curiosity as to what the boy would do: stay or leave? But of course, it was the leader's order, and he need not question why if Ryoma would choose to stay.

True enough, Ryoma turned back to face Tezuka, and Momoshiro knew it was time for him to leave. Not that he will actually leave…

When Momoshiro closed the door, Tezuka turned his back at Ryoma and approached the only window in the room. A few moments of silence passed with neither of them fidgeting nor making the slightest sound. Ryoma's eyes remained hidden, his façade void of emotion as that of Tezuka's. Tezuka, however, was the one that broke the silence.

"I see you have not changed at all, Echizen."

"You knew." Ryoma snapped. He lifted his head and found himself staring directly into Tezuka's eyes, those almond orbs boring deep into his gold ones. He still had not recovered completely from the confrontation earlier. Truth was, he could still see images of the scene earlier, still hear the aristocrat's pleas for mercy and help, still feel the blood flowing and staining his hands, still feel the rage and urge to kill that he had, for so long, contained within himself…

Yes. He had not changed at all.

Tezuka approached him slowly, one hand outstretched. "Give it to me." He said as he stared intensely at the boy.

"Bastard" was Ryoma's only remark as he took out and gave him the same necklace that the aristocrat possessed earlier: the one with the snake-covered cross pendant. It was stained with blood, of course, and so was Ryoma.

Tezuka dismissed him after that, but Ryoma had other plans. "Why, Buchou?" It was improper of him to ask questions such as this, especially given his current condition. But he had to know, and he wanted Tezuka to be the one to answer him. "Why did you give me this mission when you perfectly knew what I was capable of doing?"

"Exactly." Tezuka, surprisingly, answered. "I know your capabilities."

"Then why?!"

"Remember what I told you when I brought you here, Echizen?" His glasses glinted as he sat behind his desk and continued to stare at Ryoma. "_I want you to be the pillar of Seigaku_. But you can never be one until you change your ways. I did not bring you here for you to achieve the opposite." Then he added, "I'm completely disappointed with your actions, and as punishment you are to do the same as Momoshiro."

Ryoma glared at him for that and figured that this conversation had reached its end. Before he was dismissed again though, he had his turn to answer Tezuka's own questions.

"The same applies to you, Echizen. Why?" At this, Tezuka had gone back to standing by the window. His question momentarily surprised Ryoma, not that the boy was not prepared with an answer.

A smirk finally made its way to Ryoma's lips as he headed towards the door. "I just followed the _verdict_, Buchou." He said, pure arrogance apparent on the way he spoke.

"_I gave him what he deserved."_

**…To be continued...**

* * *

**A/N:** _(Thank you to Unreal Phantom for pointing out certain errors. This chapter had been editted with regards to her review. Sankyuu!) _First things first: I am very aware of Saeki's character, just so you know before you all go lashing out at me. I honestly tried my best to keep his character intact, but I am afraid and am guilty that he really appeared OOC, but that is all for the benefit of the story's plot. If you think otherwise, then please tell me for I will be very relieved. As I said before, I cannot guarantee the characters to be in their character all the time for this IS an AU fanfiction, but I am trying my best nevertheless.

Second, I am pretty sure you all are getting the idea (it's painfully obvious) that scenes in this chapter are very similar to scenes from the anime. Well, it is a FANfiction, for goodness' sake. :) As a tidbit, I am very much going to base certain scenes in this story to that of the anime, so you probably will come across similar contents as the story progresses. I hope I am not violating any rule, though. TT

Third, to answer one reviewer's question: yes, this story is set in an entirely different timeline and location. The title actually gives you the whole idea of it. :)

Fourth, I would like to say thank you to everyone that read and/or reviewed Episode 1. Sankyuu! (also to my ehemdearestehem brother who gave his comments on this once in a while) And I apologize as well for the very slow update. I will not make/give reasons anymore, so I am just going to apologize, 'k:) My apologies as well for…er…'unsatisfactory' contents in this chapter (yes, Ryoma MURDERED, he really did. But don't kill me too!). XD And if you do not mind, for those that appreciate this story, kindly put this in story alert because I am actually having a hard (and, not to mention, long) time sending messages to everyone just to inform them of an update. TT

And fifth…you know what that is. :) Ja!


	4. Episode 3: Anxiety

**A/N: **Who said this was dead? Regardless of how late this update is, this story is still definitely alive and kicking. As long as it's still posted here, it still is! ;D

Now I'm on this major "update spree" and this is my last multi-chapter update for the first batch. Depending on the feedback I will receive for all my updates, I'd be more than glad to post the next batch as soon as possible (and while I still have enough time). So read on and don't forget to review! :)

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

For centuries, the kingdom of Hakugei thrived on the abundance of their natural resources. The small island was well known for its well-balanced prosperity and peacefulness. Despite its diminutive size, the island's location also proved to be an advantage against enemy advances. Located high above sea level and sheltered within its own mass of trees, the island only had a single entry and exit point to and from it in the form of an ancient, concrete bridge. Other than that, trespassers would have to swim against fierce—often times, lethal—billows then tediously climb the steep cliff to enter the island. This was Hakugei's initial form of defense.

Despite its defenses though, the kingdom was still defenseless against the destructions caused by natural calamities. During the first few years of King Fuji's reign, drought had befallen the island. Scarcity of its resources became the result of this calamity. The forest began to wither and die; at least three forest fires were accounted each day. Even the deep wells and the sea began to dry up as well. It was the gravest calamity that the island ever experienced.

Fortunately, a fellow kingdom decided to help. This was the kingdom of _Hyotei_, what was then ruled by Don Atobe, Sr.

This act of assistance then became Hakugei's debt of gratitude to the kingdom of Hyotei, one that required even a lifetime to pay. Therefore, as a token of gratitude, King Fuji had offered a proposal to Don Atobe Sr., stating that by the time either of their respective heirs will have succeeded over their thrones, the kingdom of Hakugei would immediately be under the authority of the kingdom of Hyotei. To which, the king of Hyotei readily agreed.

In his own opinion, however, such an agreement was not at most terms beneficial to his fellow men. This, and the fact that he was greatly involved, left Fuji wondering exactly what its purpose was.

"Hold still, Syuusuke."

Yuuta blinked twice before he knocked on Fuji's door. That was Yumiko's voice, Yuuta mused, and she was probably helping Fuji with something. But she sounded annoyed, which was unusual because Yumiko was exceptionally calm. Next to Fuji, that is.

His knocks on the door eventually went unheard.

"Syuusuke, you're moving too much. Stay still."

"Hai, hai, onee-sama."

"You keep answering 'yes' but you still do the opposite. Ah… Yuuta!" Both Yumiko and Fuji turned as the door opened and Yuuta walked in. He was clearly annoyed—he had knocked for the tenth time already but was still ignored. "What are you two doing? Mother and Father are already waiting for us."

"We know, Yuuta-kun. But before that, what do you think of Syuusuke?" Yumiko turned Fuji around for Yuuta to see.

His aniki was wearing a light blue tuxedo that dramatically brought out the color of his eyes. The outfit was generally simple, but as always, Yumiko managed to adorn it sufficiently. The result was a very princely outfit that complimented Fuji remarkably. It would not surprise Yuuta if Fuji would captivate everyone with his current appearance as he always did. He even knew of a certain someone who had a very deep interest in his brother…

"Aniki will always look like Aniki." This was Yuuta's reply before he left the room.

Fuji chuckled. "I told you Yuuta will not like it."

"Nonsense, Syuusuke. Even if he doesn't like it, you still do, don't you?" She nudged Fuji towards a mirror and both of them looked at his reflection.

He looked stunning.

"Of course, onee-sama, your fashion sense is remarkably unique." Fuji smiled alongside his sister. "But I still have to admit that I am very uncomfortable with this whole ordeal," groaned Fuji as he loosened his collar slightly. Yumiko adjusted his clothes for more comfort, and then held his shoulders.

"I'm very sorry about all of this, Syuusuke," she touched Fuji's cheeks lovingly. "I know it's hard for you but just remember this—you are doing this for Mother and Father." She gazed deep into Fuji's eyes and felt pained at the sadness that filled those bright blue orbs. Pure sadness; there was neither hatred nor regret, just pure sadness.

"Of course, onee-sama, I am more than willing to do anything for Mother and Father's happiness." Fuji smiled, that perfect mask concealing his pain.

Yumiko gave him a very tight yet comforting hug. "Oh, you are such a nice boy, Syuusuke." She whispered in his hair.

_Yeah…I just hope I can say the same to myself._ Fuji thought bitterly.

"Besides," Yumiko added teasingly. "It's not my fault _he_ liked _you _better." She held Fuji's arm and led him to the door. "_Saa_… let's go. It has already been rude of us for making Mother and Father wait," she said as they exited the room, "but it would be utterly irresponsible of us to not be present during the arrival of our _guest_."

As they descended to the dining hall, Fuji's mind wandered back to its recent pondering. First, the one that would truly benefit from mentioned agreement would unlikely be their kingdom but the others'. Hyotei was widely known as an industrially productive kingdom, to which status their abundance in gold greatly contributed. Hakugei, on the other hand, was abundant in raw materials which were sparse in Hyotei. Therefore, economically speaking, Hyotei would have a greater advantage in mentioned agreement. Then second was the fact that the kingdom of Hyotei would gain complete authority over their land, despite the part that his family would still govern over Hakugei. Fuji knew such authority would more likely diminish in time in, might he add, a rather "hour glass" kind of manner.

The third disadvantage of the unwritten contract was actually centered on him. As the eldest son of the royal couple, he was naturally the heir of and next successor to the throne. But Fuji never had any objections to the obligations he was to handle and in fact, the idea of having control over the kingdom actually thrilled him. For that reason, Fuji compromised with the agreement, and would have agreed completely, if only the heir of Hyotei did not perceive the agreement in a more _intimate_ kind of manner.

"Syuusuke? Is there something wrong? You're trembling…" Fuji was so immersed in his own thoughts that even Yumiko's voice seemed so distant. And it was not until she spoke that he realized that he truly was trembling. His hands quivered involuntarily and he felt that his heart was beating faster than usual inside his chest.

"Ah…this—this is nothing, onee-sama. There's nothing wrong at all." He said as he held his own hands still, hiding them behind his back. "Let's go."

This time, Fuji led the way to the dining hall in a seemingly steady pace as he tried to put his breathing and mind at ease. _Stay calm, Syuusuke. To be afraid is to be weak. You're not weak. _He told himself.

_But you're scared. Admit it._

Fuji bit his bottom lip and clenched his fists tightly. Indeed, he was. And to his alarm, the object of his trepidations was now but mere feet away from him, seated across the dining table from their father.

"Here they are," King Fuji gushed as the two of them entered the hall. "Make haste, my children. The Don had been kind enough to wait for you already. Come now," he said, waving for Yumiko and Fuji to come to the table.

But Fuji had fell abruptly still at the sight of the young man in front him. It was all he could do not to turn around and escape from the room. He gave a slight jerk when Yumiko held his hand, the other smiling sweetly as she led him towards the table. They took their respective seats and Fuji willed himself to calm down.

Yuuta was already seated beside their mother with that scowl of his. Apparently, he had been very reluctant to attend, but had no choice but to. Their father and mother were already engaged in a conversation with their privileged guest, and it was with a smile that Fuji thanked his mother's compliment of his attire. He was seated to the immediate right of Yumiko, and not far from their guest.

"Quite splendid, indeed," said their guest, his voice low and suave. "You look very _charming_, Fuji-kun, if I say so myself."

Hesitantly, Fuji turned to their guest to find the young man giving him a smile that was meant to be intimidating. He was Don Atobe Keigo, Jr., the sole heir to the throne of Hyotei. He was an astute young man who had authority over their kingdom as much as his father did; regardless that he was still a prince. He had the power to gain anything of his desire, and it was not a hidden fact that he _wanted_ Fuji. And as uncommon as it was for Fuji Syuusuke to be afraid, he feared Atobe. For an unknown reason, he had feared the young man, and it did not help that the other desired _him_ of all people.

As to why Atobe had taken such a liking to him, Fuji had also no idea. It was as if Atobe had known him before they even met, and that was certainly disturbing. For Fuji was not your typical prince; his life was an assemblage of mysteries only known to those close to him, especially his childhood. For an individual outside his family to know of his past—it was simply disturbing.

"I appreciate the compliment, Atobe-sama," Fuji replied nonetheless, despite how he wanted to avoid any communication with the young man. "You look splendid yourself."

"That is but typical. Though I do feel delighted that you are pleased, Fuji-kun." Atobe said, his purple orbs flashing mischievously at Fuji. It was with effort that Fuji repressed a shudder.

"Of course, of course," the king said, oblivious of Fuji's predicament, "Shall we have our meal, then? The cook has prepared the best of Hakugei's delicacies for you, Don Atobe. Please, help yourself." He gestured for the servants to attend to their guest, and before long there was the rhythmic clinking of silverware as lunch proceeded quite uneventfully.

As dessert was being served, Atobe said, "Have you discussed with them the main purpose of my visit, Your Majesty?"

"Why yes, of course. Isn't that right, Syuusuke?" The king said as he smiled kindly at his son, who had kept silent through the most part of the meal.

Fuji glanced up from his plate to look at his father. "Of course, Father. And I'm very grateful to such an opportunity." He lied smoothly with a false smile, for he assumed no one would have realized. Or so he thought. To his left, Yumiko sent him a furtively worried glance, and Yuuta's scowl had curved deeper than it usually was. Fortunately, his parents seemed to not have noticed anything, and that was enough.

He was to go on an official visit to the kingdom of Hyotei, to appear as a representative of their kingdom for an important negotiation amongst the alliance, and simply to pay _respect_ to the king who saved their kingdom. It was a meager task, one that he would not have been deeply concerned of; if only the heir of Hyotei did not offer to accompany him during his stay. Said heir had even gone out of his way to escort Fuji back to their kingdom; thus, his presence now explained.

"And I'm more delighted to have you for company, _Fuji-kun_." Fuji's eyes evidently widened when he realized that Atobe was already behind him, placing a slender hand on his shoulder. He felt his throat go dry as Atobe whispered darkly in his ear, "It would be a visit you can't even begin to imagine."

"Very well, then." His father's voice brought Fuji out of his bewilderment. "There is still time before your departure. Syuusuke, why don't you take the Don for a walk in the garden while you wait?"

"That would be splendid, Your Majesty. If Fuji-kun would not mind, that is." Atobe gave a light squeeze on Fuji's shoulder, and the lad simply nodded.

"It would be an honor." Said the prince, as he stood from his chair and gave a small bow to his parents. "Kindly send a servant to find us when the preparations are finished," Fuji suggested. "Now, if you'll excuse us," he said before heading towards the door.

"Thank you for the magnificent meal, Your Majesty, my Lady," Atobe muttered before following after Fuji, his personal guards in tow.

The king simply smiled at their retreating figures and remarked about how it was an honor to have Hyotei's heir take such a liking to his son. The queen voiced out her agreement, but Yumiko could not help but feel sad at their parents' understanding of the situation. Not that they blamed them; Fuji was never one to concern others about his problems, no matter how much they pained him.

With a determined look, Yumiko stood and excused herself from the room. Even if Fuji never said anything, as his sister, Yumiko could feel how troubled he was. And it hurt her. Fuji had had enough torments already, and he deserved no more.

A few minutes later, Yuuta had also excused himself, the look on his face more stern than usual.

* * *

It had been three days since the incident with the necklace, and since then Ryoma had advertently ignored anyone else – even Momoshiro. The boy had taken to spending his time alone on the roof of his room, either sleeping or just staring at the sky with an impassive look in his face and Karupin curled on his stomach. He would only appear amongst the crowd during meals, as that of today's lunch, and it was then that Momoshiro was able to corner him.

"What?" The boy muttered; his face as blank as that of a paper.

"What do you mean 'what'? You've been avoiding everyone for three days already and now that's all you can say to me?" Momoshiro snapped at him. Ryoma's actions had apparently troubled him. It seemed as if the boy had defaulted to his past personality after the incident, the one he had that time Momoshiro first met him. And the older boy could not let that.

When Ryoma remained unresponsive, Momoshiro grabbed him by the collar and dragged him harshly out of the refectory, to the surprise of everyone else in the area and even to Ryoma himself. "Senpai, what are you–"

"Oi, Momo!" Oishi suddenly appeared in front of him. "What are you doing to Echizen?"

"I'm going to knock some sense into him, senpai," Momoshiro said quietly, his amethyst eyes flashing distinctly at Oishi. He continued his pace while he dragged Ryoma on, the boy trying to pry himself from his grip but to no avail. Even if he _was_ Ryoma, Momoshiro still had an advantage when it came to force.

"But, Momo—"

"I don't need your permission, senpai," was Momoshiro's retort as he and Ryoma disappeared into one of the training halls.

Throwing Ryoma to the floor, he closed the wooden doors and sealed them shut with a pole. The boy was still grasping at his neck gingerly when Momoshiro grabbed hold of him again, shouting at his face. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Ryoma still did not answer him, his golden eyes hidden beneath the shadow of his bangs. This infuriated Momoshiro; Ryoma was habitually stoical, but not to the extent that he was idiotically unsympathetic. Before he could stop himself, he had punched the boy and sent him flying across the room, Ryoma's small body dropping to the floor with a loud thump. To his further frustration, he realized that Ryoma had expected such action, but did not even defend himself. He remained completely motionless on the floor, seemingly waiting for the older boy to just beat him up.

Momoshiro glared down at him in disgust. He had wanted to pound some sense into him, but from how foolish Ryoma was acting, he decided it was not even worth it. This was not the boy he had come to know.

"Pathetic," he spat. He turned his back to Ryoma and clenched his fists in anger. "To think that you're actually the person that Buchou wanted to entrust Seigaku to," he muttered quietly, but loud enough for the boy to hear. To his surprise, Ryoma spoke.

"Then apparently he got the wrong person."

"And you're proving that now!" Momoshiro snapped, turning to face Ryoma again. "The Echizen I knew never appeared weak in front of anyone. Now you're not only weak, you're also acting like I senseless coward."

"You don't know much about me then, do you, senpai?" And the kid still had the gall to be sarcastic with him. If there was one trait that Ryoma could never lose, it was his arrogance.

"That's probably true," Momoshiro replied. He watched as Ryoma pushed himself up from the floor slowly before adding, "I never knew you'd kill someone selfishly just because of a _stupid necklace_."

At the mention of the necklace, Ryoma snapped his head towards him so fast that Momoshiro thought it would break. "How do you know about that?" The boy barely whispered; his shock evident in his wide golden eyes.

Momoshiro almost smirked. "I'm not exactly one who'd just follow every instruction given to me." When he was dismissed from the leader's office after he had finished the report on their last mission, he had stayed on the corridor and listened to Ryoma and Tezuka's conversation. He had not understood everything, but he was certain that it concerned Ryoma's past which he was not entirely aware of. He had even taken the risk of a small peek, and that was when he saw the bloody necklace as Ryoma was handing it to Tezuka.

Actually, he truly did not know of the significance of the necklace and he was practically bluffing. But from how Ryoma had reacted, he figured that the accessory must have been the very reason why Ryoma ruthlessly killed the aristocrat, and why the boy had been acting so peculiarly.

As he was pondering, Momoshiro failed to notice that Ryoma had already launched himself at him and pain shot up from his abdomen when the boy forcefully hit him. As the older boy clutched his abdomen, Ryoma brought his arm down vehemently on the other's nape and Momoshiro almost fell unconscious. It was with effort that he evaded Ryoma's next move. He blocked the boy's knee before it crashed into his face and leapt away from Ryoma, barely managing to stay awake. It was certainly not a lie that Ryoma was one of the best among them shinobis, despite how small he was.

Before he knew it, he was fending off Ryoma's attacks again. He was surprised about how the unresponsive boy earlier was now going at him with such vehemence. Ryoma's eyes bore silent rage and the boy was… trembling?

Momoshiro grabbed tight hold of Ryoma's fist as the boy swung at him, then twisted the other's arm behind his back and literally slammed the boy face first to the floor. He straddled the boy's hips from behind and that was when he realized that Ryoma really _was_ trembling. It was odd; for you to attack your opponent your body must be in a calm state to avoid unnecessary movements. And Ryoma was not calm at all; the boy was now visibly shaking under him.

"Echi—"

"You don't know anything about me, Momo-senpai." Ryoma said. His voice was low and breaking at the middle. Momoshiro stared dumbfounded at the back of his head. Was the boy actually crying?

When he deemed it safe to release his hold on the boy, he let go of Ryoma's arm and got off of the other's back. His own body ached, that was certain, and he gingerly leaned on the dojo's wall as he watched Ryoma's trembling form. After a moment, the boy had gone still. Slowly, he sat up on the floor, his face hidden from the older boy's view. When he spoke again, his voice was already steady and placid.

"You don't know what I went through because of that necklace."

"Of course, I don't," Momoshiro snapped sarcastically. "You've never really told me about it – of anything, for that matter. And I'm pretty sure that Buchou won't."

Ryoma snorted. "Why'd you even bother anyway?"

Momoshiro looked as if he wanted to strangle the boy, and he really did. Ruffling the boy's hair, he said, "Of course, I do, you shrimp! I didn't put up with you this long just so you can go back to being that kid you were when you first got here."

"I'm not a kid!" was Ryoma's retort as he tried to push the older boy away, which he was unsuccessful in doing.

"On the contrary, you still are," Momoshiro smiled as he released the boy, giving him a light smack on the head. Ryoma just glared back at him, a visible pout on his lips. Then the pout turned into a smirk, and it was with pure arrogance that he said, "You've got much more to learn, Momo-senpai."

"Shouldn't I be the one telling you that?" A muscle on Momoshiro's cheek twitched as he grinned forcibly at the boy. But then he smiled truthfully to himself when Ryoma just rolled his eyes and stalked towards the doors, the boy finally acting like himself even at the least.

Ryoma was actually smiling himself. He realized that he actually needed the pat on the back, despite how harsh Momoshiro had been. During those three days that he had kept to himself, he came to believe that coming here was a huge mistake on his part. Tezuka had meant for him to change his ways; to change from the young boy who was nothing but a ruthless murderer, to someone who can control himself and use his skills for better. But as their stoic leader had said, he had not changed at all. How he killed the aristocrat was proof of that.

Still, that was not all true. If he seemed to have regressed to the person he used to be as Momoshiro had said, then that meant that somehow, even at the least, Ryoma had managed to change. And he could keep on trying to. A single mistake was enough.

He removed the pole that served as the doors' lock and shoved them open, only to be greeted by a scowling Kaidoh Kaoru.

"Mamushi?" Momoshiro gasped in surprise. He almost had an attack at Kaidoh's sudden appearance. Apparently, Ryoma did too.

"What's with your reactions?" Kaidoh snapped at them, obviously infuriated.

"I thought I saw a ghost. Then I guess, that's quite close to the truth."

There was threatening silence for a moment before Kaidoh grabbed the front of Momoshiro's shirt ruthlessly, seemingly deranged. "What did you say, punk?

"Oh, are you stupid now, too? Why the hell are you here anyway?"

Ryoma only sighed as the other two began their petty squabble. Regardless of time and place, the two of them would always quarrel; it was now but a common sight for Ryoma.

"Stop it, you two!"

Ryoma turned around to see their vice leader coming towards them. The boy blinked as he finally understood why Kaidoh was there: Oishi must have asked the viper to search for him and Momoshiro. Despite Kaidoh's perpetually irate nature, he still followed his seniors; which then leads to why Kaidoh had appeared there so suddenly.

"Echizen, are you all right?"

Ryoma sometimes wondered whether Oishi truly was a shinobi; he was more like a mother than he was a ninja. Nevertheless, the boy gave a simple nod out of respect for his senior, regardless of the bruise on his face.

Oishi visibly sighed in relief. "That's good. You _have_ been acting quite odd these past few days, but it seems that you're back to normal now." Ryoma blinked at Oishi's smiling face; he did not expect his actions to receive such responses. He was not able to give a reply though, when a fellow shinobi came running to them at that moment.

"Senpai!" The young man said, pertaining to Oishi. "Tezuka-buchou needs you in his office now, senpai. He said it was very important. Also," he sent a glance to the other three present, "he said to gather the regulars, senpai."

Momoshiro and Kaidoh immediately stopped quarreling and frowned; even Ryoma was eyeing Oishi seriously. Gathering the regulars solely meant that there was a matter of grave importance; it was not every day that Tezuka held such meetings.

"All right," Oishi said to the rookie, before he dismissed the young man politely. He then turned to face the other three. "You three proceed to Tezuka's office. If I'm not wrong, Kawamura was sent on an errand outside the village. And Kirihara… he must be lurking around the village somewhere. I'll go and search for them; you tell that to Tezuka." The other three nodded and they all proceeded to their respective destinations.

Upon arriving at Tezuka's office, they found their leader holding a piece of paper and what looked like a purple rose. Inui was already there, a stern look on his face.

"What's with the summons, Buchou?" Momoshiro said nonchalantly, his arms behind his head. But Tezuka merely glanced at him and remained silent.

Ryoma frowned at this. There was something wrong at Tezuka's reaction, more so at the rose that he was holding. Why would their leader be holding a rose? And as far as Ryoma knew, purple roses were very rare at this part of the land.

"Where's Oishi?" Inui asked.

"He went looking for Kirihara and Kawamura-senpai." Kaidoh replied in his low voice. They all turned abruptly to Tezuka when their leader stood from his chair and spoke.

"That will be fine." Tezuka said, more sternly than what his subordinates had expected. "I'll be sending the three of you ahead of them."

"Sending us where, Buchou?"

He sent a glance to the purple rose now lying innocently on his desk. "We have received information of an assassination against a kingdom's heir. We are currently determining which kingdom, but as such it is our priority to prevent the assassination set to occur this midnight."

"Assassination?" Momoshiro blurted in surprise. "Then we have to mov—"

"How did you find out, Buchou?" Momoshiro blinked at the direction of the boy. Ryoma's face was still impassive, but his eyes bore the curiosity that he felt at present.

Apparently, Tezuka had expected such a question from the boy, and he held out the piece of paper to him. As soon as Ryoma saw the contents of the paper, his grip on it visibly tightened and his eyes widened noticeably. At that, Momoshiro snatched the note from the boy's trembling hands and read it himself. He soon found the reason for Ryoma's sudden agitation.

There were only four words on the piece of paper: prince, kill, midnight and forest. But there was also a mark on the note that Momoshiro assumed to be an emblem: it was a hasty sketch of a snake-covered cross.

**... To be continued...

* * *

**

**A/N: **I did it! Yeah! XD

Oh my gosh, I actually finished four updates in just one week! XD Haha. I do hope I haven't strayed away from Fuji's character too much (also with the other characters). There's a definite reason for his anxieties, and that'll eventually be revealed in the ensuing chapters. Hope you will keep on reading! And yes: Kirihara is part of Seigaku here – although that is not quite true as well. ;D

Now as I've said this is the last for the first batch. I'm starting on the second batch right after this. So please review! :) _Matta ne!_ And thanks for those who reviewed last! Really appreciate them. ;D


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